€400 million deficit in waterways maintenance budget
Financial risks exposed by better data
A cumulative total of €400 million in additional funding is required until 2020 to pay for the maintenance of the country’s network of main waterways and related engineering works such as bridges and locks. Budget deficits can lead to maintenance backlogs, thus posing a risk of both additional expenditure and inconvenience to shipping. The action taken by the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management to improve the data held on the extent and quality of the network of main waterways has helped to expose the additional funding requirement.